RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Prevention of adhesions is central to surgical practice, because they cause significant morbidity. Inhibition of fibroblast proliferation is a way to prevent adhesions. Mitomycin-C (MMC) (Kyowa-Hakko-Kogyo Co, Ltd, Tokyo, Japan) is an alkylating agent that also inhibits fibroblast proliferation for up to a few weeks. We investigated the effect of MMC on the prevention of adhesion reformation. METHODS: Adhesions were generated by brushing the cecum and parietal peritoneum in 60 female Wistar albino rats. Ten days later, during a second laparotomy, adhesions were graded. After adhesiolysis, rats were divided into 3 groups. Group 1 was intraperitoneally administered 5 mL of saline solution, whereas groups 2 and 3 were intraperitoneally administered 0.5 mg/kg MMC in 5 mL of saline solution. MMC solution in the abdomen was completely rinsed and aspirated after 5 minutes in group 2 and after 10 minutes in group 3. Then, all the rats were administered 5 mL of saline solution intraperitoneally. After 10 days, adhesions were graded again during a third laparotomy. RESULTS: Both MMC groups had significantly lower adhesion scores compared with the control group (P <.001). No side effects from MMC were observed during the experiment. CONCLUSIONS: MMC was found to be very effective in preventing adhesion reformation.
